Amber's Prince Caspian Story
by narnian-starkid
Summary: Amber is back! Her journey with the Pevensies through PC. Edmund/Amber FRIENDSHIP ONLY! Susan/Caspian as much as in the movie, movie-verse/AU, Amber's POV. Rated K plus in case.
1. Chapter 1: Fights and Magic Pulls

Summary: Amber is back! Her journey with the Pevensies through PC. Edmund/OC, Susan/Caspian (only a little) – movie-verse/AU, Amber's POV.

Author's Note: I felt that it was right to write another story about Amber and her relationship with the Pevensies – also, this story is different to my other story That Word. It follows a different storyline – sort of. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Only Amber is mine. Nothing else.

Chapter 1: Fights and Magic Pulls

I stood in the crowd watching the fight. A boy with startlingly familiar blonde hair was getting severely beaten up by two older boys. With sudden clarity, I realised that the boy was none other than Peter.

I sighed. This wasn't the first time Peter had been in a fight in the past year – he had been in them almost daily.

I glanced up at the sound of a familiar frightened voice.

"Edmund!" Lucy's voice rang out.

I looked in the direction of her voice, just in time to see Edmund barrelling past people in the crowd to help his brother – another thing that happened frequently.

He rugby-tackled the closest boy and proceeded to fight him. I could feel my worry intensifying.

A piercing whistle startled me out of my worry, and I looked in time to see three army officers sprinting towards the fight. The crowd quickly dispersed, the officers broke up the fight and one officer spoke rather severely to Peter.

"Act your age" he said angrily.

Peter stormed off in a huff.

I raced over to Edmund. I was horrified to see that he had an ugly bruise on his cheek and scrapes on both palms.

He looked up and smiled wearily at me, and then picked up his suitcase. I walked with him back to the platform where Peter, Susan and Lucy were waiting.

Peter was looking at the floor, Susan had a very disappointed look on her face, and Lucy was rubbing her left hand up and down Peter's left arm. Edmund and I walked over and sat down on the right side of Peter.

"You're welcome Peter" Edmund said – a trifle sulkily.

Peter glared at him.

"I had it sorted thank you" he replied curtly, before standing up.

"What was it this time?" Susan asked, annoyed.

Peter turned and faced us.

"He bumped me" he said simply.

I was shocked.

"So you hit him?" Lucy asked.

"No. After he bumped me, those other boys tried to make me apologise. That's when I hit him" Peter told us – starting to get angry again.

"And in the process, you could have gotten someone seriously hurt – like yourself or Edmund for instance?" I added – gesturing to Edmund and getting angry myself. Edmund laid his hand on my shoulder.

Susan shook her head – her dark hair sliding around on her back.

"Really Peter, is it _that_ hard just to walk away?" she asked stiffly.

"I shouldn't have to!" Peter almost shouted. "I mean, don't you ever get tired of being treated like a kid?"

Edmund looked up for the first time.

"Uh, we _are_ kids Pete" he pointed out icily.

"Well I wasn't always!" Peter said more quietly – but keeping the same anger as before.

"Peter, you aren't the only one who misses Narnia, but do you see the rest of us going around picking fights with people over a small thing like that? Don't be so selfish!" I said.

Peter ignored me.

"It's been a year" he said walking over to us again and sitting down "how long does He expect us to wait?"

Susan turned to him and folded her arms.

"I think it's time to accept that we live _here_. It's no use pretending any different" she stated gently.

Peter shook his head and turned away, but at that moment Lucy jumped up and yelled

"OW!"

"Quiet Lu" Susan scolded.

"Something pinched me!" Lucy exclaimed.

Peter stood up suddenly.

"HEY! Stop pulling!" he shouted, standing up and looking down at Edmund.

"I'm not touching you Peter!" Edmund yelled back.

"Would all of you just – what is that?" Susan said – slightly surprised.

Suddenly – I felt it too. A terrible pulling – as if a hook had slid around my gut and was pulling it out. I stood up with a small yelp of pain and shock.

"What was that?" I asked.

Lucy looked at us – smiling.

"It feels like magic!" she almost had to shout over the noise of tiles coming free of the walls, the howl of the wind, the train rushing past us and the yells of her siblings and me.

"Quick – everyone hold hands" Susan commanded logically.

"I'm not holding your hand!" Edmund whined childishly. Peter grabbed his hand anyway.

We all looked out to see the last of the station disappear and leave behind it a natural hole with sand under our feet. In the distance, we could hear the sound of a horn.

After the pulling stopped, we let go of each other's hands and slowly walked out onto a beach.

It was a glorious day, the sun was shining brightly, and the sea was a sparkling blue with gentle waves rolling in and out. Before we knew it, we were running along the beach, ridding our feet of our shoes, and splashing in the crystal clear water.

A few minutes of playing passed, and I looked up at the sound of Peter's joyous voice.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Where do you suppose we are?" Edmund asked back, looking in the direction of the great cliffs in front of us.

"Well where do you think?" Peter replied, grinning.

Edmund sighed.

"Well, I don't remember any ruins in Narnia"

"Ruins?" I asked, confused.

Edmund pointed up atop the cliffs. Sure enough, there were ruins of some building up there.

We stared at the ruins, feeling a strange sense of loss.

"How do we get up there?" I asked.

Susan looked at me.

"Easy, just find a path up there" she said simply.

All of us saw the sense in this, and so we proceeded to walk up the cliffs.

NNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN

As soon as we got over the top of the cliff, we were able to see the ruins in more detail.

All this did however, was increase the feeling of loss from before. We strolled through the ruins, and I was halfway up what must have been a flight of stairs when I heard Lucy's voice.

"Wonder who lived here?" she asked Susan.

Susan walked over, but stopped abruptly when her foot collided with something gold with a small _ding_. She stooped and picked the thing up. I walked over to them to see Susan holding a bright golden chess knight. It sent a shiver of remembrance down my spine.

"Hey, that's mine. From my chess set" I looked up to see that the boys had joined us. Edmund was pointing at the knight – it was he who had spoken.

"Which chess set?" Peter scoffed.

"Well, I didn't exactly have a _solid gold chess set_ in Finchley did I?" Edmund asked sarcastically.

We all turned around and saw a dais – with five crumbled, stone sculptures on it.

"Can't be" Lucy whispered, and then she ran up to the dais – the rest of us following her.

We sprinted up until Lucy stopped and, facing Peter, asked

"Don't you see?!"

The rest of us stared blankly at her.

"What?" Peter asked.

Lucy sighed, took both his shoulders and turned him around.

"Imagine walls" she said, moving over to position Edmund.

"And columns there" she pointed.

Grabbing Susan, she said "Coloured pavement instead of grass."

Taking my hand, she whispered "Tapestries on the walls."

And finally, positioning herself, she moved her hand in one swift motion.

"And a glass roof" she finished.

I used my imagination to conjure up that image, and suddenly my mind was flooded with memories of a certain castle in a place that I loved.

We all said it at the same time.

"Cair Paravel."

**Yeah, btw, if anyone wants to know why Amber would remember Cair Paravel, then go to the first chapter of That Word and read the 'Back story'. It tells you. More still to come! Please read and review!**

**As always,**

**Fan of the Just King.**


	2. Chapter 2: Rediscoveries

Author's Note: Yeah, I'm still sick – hence why this story is getting updated. But, I promise you, I will be going back to school soon, so I'm not wagging so I can write stories. (I wish!) Lol.

Disclaimer: Only Amber is mine, you know the rest.

Chapter 2 Rediscoveries:

I walked with Lucy and Susan to where Edmund had crouched down next to a large, oddly spherical boulder.

"Catapults" he whispered.

Peter gave him a strange look.

"What?" Peter asked sharply.

Edmund turned to us – worry etched in his handsome young face.

"This didn't just happen. Cair Paravel was attacked" Edmund stated – looking at each of us in turn.

All of were surely thinking the same thing.

"What about the Treasure Chambers?" I asked.

"Since when was there more than one Treasure Chamber?" Susan asked truthfully.

I looked at her.

"Since I was a queen after you four. I had a separate chamber to your main one" I answered her.

Lucy gaped slightly, Susan looked at me with pride in her sky coloured eyes, Edmund smiled at me, and Peter just looked at me.

Not wanting to say anymore, we strode over to the stone architecture that hid the doorway to the Treasure Chambers.

Peter and Edmund pushed it aside, before Peter took out his pocket knife and ripped the bottom part of his shirt off. He then grabbed a nearby stick and tied the material around it.

"Don't suppose you have any matches do you?" Peter asked Edmund.

Edmund searched around in his brown leather school bag.

"Um, no, but" he pulled something out "would this help?" he asked, a cheeky smile finding its way onto his lips as he held up his torch.

"You might have mentioned that a _bit_ sooner" Peter told him, exasperated and slightly angry.

Edmund smiled and shrugged, before going down the steps into the Chamber. I followed, but at the place where a smaller, narrower staircase led off the main one, I left the others and walked down these stairs, the enchanted torches coming on as I walked past. This was the way to my Treasure Chamber.

I reached the archway and looked down upon my room.

It was smaller than that of the Pevensies, and it only had one statue and one chest. It had less treasure, but I spotted my Gifts from Aslan Himself. A silver sword – smaller than Peter or Edmund's – with a scarlet hilt, and a bow – similar to Susan's in the way that it didn't easily miss – with a quiver still full of gold feathered arrows.

I felt tears prick at the corners of my eyes as I walked towards the weapons I knew so well. I continued forwards towards my statue and chest.

My statue was a life-size model of me as a twenty-two year old queen. My chest was silver and had my initials written on the lid.

Upon opening the chest, the first thing I spotted was my crown - my emerald and silver crown that looked like emerald and silver intertwining ribbons.

I paused before taking out a Narnian dress that had used to fit me. It was far too big for me now, but it had been my favourite.

It was a scarlet dress that also had sea green embroidery on the bodice and sleeves.

I sighed. After searching for a while, I came across a midnight dress with gold and silver lining around the sleeves and a scarlet leaf pattern on the bodice.

Taking off my uncomfortable school clothes, I slipped into my dress and braided my hair – Narnian style – before slipping on my tan Narnian shoes that were also suitable to be worn in battle.

Finally, I picked up my weapons, putting my sword belt around my waist and sliding my quiver over my shoulder so it rested on my back.

Reluctantly, I shut my chest again, took one last look around the room, before walking out and up the stairs again.

I was about halfway up before I noticed that the Pevensies were gone.

Panicking slightly, I raced up the stairs, only to bowl straight into poor Lucy who immediately placed her hand on her dagger and screamed in fright.

"Whoa, sorry Lu, it's just me!" I exclaimed, rolling over to allow her to stand up.

She straightened and looked down at me with relief.

"Amber, you gave me such a fright" she gasped.

I smiled sheepishly.

"Yeah, sorry about that."

Lucy just smiled and shrugged.

"Come on then" said Peter briskly.

"Where to?" Susan asked quizzically.

"The beach" stated Peter as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

**Sorry about the shortness everyone, but Mum wants me to get off and rest. Promise that the next chapter will be longer – and hopefully I will have finished all my assessment too. Please read and review!**

**As always,**

**Fan of the Just King.**


	3. Chapter 3: New Acquaintances

Author's Note: Hello! Sorry about the wait! Finishing stories like _Pained_ and _Not So Leisurely After All_, keeping up with all the Christmas and New Year preparations, having severe writers block and having to write a chapter that didn't really want to cooperate, results in making you wonderful readers wait. Sorry!

Disclaimer: Why the hell do I keep posting this, none of it is mine, except Amber.

"Speech"

_Thoughts_

Chapter 3 – New Acquaintances and Exciting Sword Fights:

We all trudged down to the beach; Peter leading of course, Susan and Lucy following and Edmund and I dragging along behind them.

I looked at our surroundings. We were heading towards a beach that bordered the Eastern Sea and the glistening blue waters of Glasswater Creek. Large trees hung over the edge of the bank, their lower branches and leaves dangling above and in the water, creating ripples with every gentle breeze that blew.

For a moment, I saw my old Narnia, my beautiful, peaceful paradise, and I was half expecting a faun or a deer to jump out from behind the tall, lush grass on the riverbank.

I was quickly shaken out of my fantasies by a loud _thunk_ of arrow against wood, and Susan's yell.

"Drop him!"

I glanced up and saw two armoured men in a wooden boat, holding, what turned out to be, a Red Dwarf. The dwarf was bound fast and gagged tightly. He muttered something and a frown creased his forehead before the soldiers flung him into the river.

Looking up, I saw Peter quickly unbuckling his sword belt and giving it to Susan – after she shot the two soldiers down – before sprinting to the river. I felt Edmund push past me and race to the water, instead grabbing the discarded boat.

After a few moments of waiting, I saw Peter emerge, half dragging the Dwarf through the sand. He set the Dwarf down and Lucy proceeded to cut his bonds with her dagger. Upon seeing that the Dwarf was free, I glanced around looking for Edmund.

He was nowhere to be seen, that is, until I saw him pulling the boat out of the water, tripping and sopping wet.

Relieved, I turned back to the Dwarf.

"Please Good Dwarf, tell us your name and do tell us, why were those men trying to kill you anyway?" Lucy asked tentatively.

"It's Trumpkin, and they're Telmarines. Killing people is what they do" Trumpkin replied shortly.

"Hold on a second; Telmarines? In Narnia?" I jumped slightly at the sound of Edmund's voice.

Trumpkin smirked slightly.

"Where have you been for the last one thousand years?"

We all looked at each other; I noticed a slightly guilty look on Lucy's face.

"Well, it's a bit of a long story" she admitted.

Trumpkin wasn't listening; he happened to look over at Susan as she was passing Rhindon back to Peter. Realization and a hint of disbelief shone in his hazel eyes.

He looked around at the five of us, surprise etched in every feature on his face.

"Oh you've got to be kidding me; you're it?" he whispered.

"Um, could you elaborate on that one please?" I asked.

"You're the Kings and Queens of Old?" he complied, dumbfounded.

"I'm High King Peter, the Magnificent" said Peter, stepping forward and offering his hand to Trumpkin, who looked utterly confused.

'_What are you thinking Peter?'_

"Um, you probably could've left off that last bit" Susan voiced for me – and Edmund and Lucy I'm sure.

Hiding a smirk, I looked at my feet and let a grin light up my face.

"Yeah, probably" Trumpkin agreed, smiling up at Peter, who stepped back and drew his sword.

"You might be surprised" he said.

Trumpkin suddenly looked wary.

"Oh, you wouldn't want to do that, boy" he told him, squinting at Rhindon the entire time.

"Not me, him" Peter replied, shaking his head, and looking sideways at Edmund, who drew his own sword and saluted Trumpkin.

Trumpkin shook his head, but took Rhindon from Peter's outstretched hand, and promptly let the blade fall to the sand with a loud _dunk_.

Edmund spared a glance at us, his face clearly saying '_this will be so easy.'_

Without knowing, Trumpkin suddenly attacked, swinging Rhindon up to meet Ed's sword with a _clang_ of centaur-wrought steel. Taken by surprise, Edmund swung up and blocked, but Trumpkin managed to find a gap, and smacked the flat side of the blade into Ed's left eye.

"Edmund!" Lucy cried as he staggered backwards.

"Oh, you alright?" Trumpkin asked in mock concern.

Edmund quickly recovered and sped around to catch Trumpkin on his lower back, sending the Dwarf forward into the sand. Standing up, he attacked with new found energy.

They continued to fight for another few minutes, until Edmund pulled off a peculiar move ending in a twist of his wrists that flung Rhindon out of Trumpkin's red raw hands.

The Dwarf fell to the ground, shocked.

"Beards and bedsteads!" he exclaimed "Maybe that horn worked after all" he whispered softly.

Interest heightened, I felt myself standing slightly straighter.

"What horn?" Susan asked, as Edmund lowered his own sword.

"Why, your own horn Queen Susan, the one that was left behind at the end of the Golden Age. The one that was believed to be able to summon the Kings and Queens of Old. I thought it hadn't worked when Caspian sounded it" Trumpkin continued.

Suddenly, I remembered back to when we first arrived in Narnia; I had heard the faint sound of a horn, but I never believed that it had been Susan's horn!

"We must head to Aslan's How at once!" Trumpkin's voice cut through my thoughts again.

"Pardon me Trumpkin, but what _is_ Aslan's How?" I asked quietly.

"It is a very sacred place Lady, and almost no one knows it even exists. I do believe that is where Caspian has stationed our army" Trumpkin replied.

"Well, let's be off then. I'll lead the way" Peter ordered snappishly, glaring at Trumpkin as he moved forward to where Edmund had left the boat earlier.

"What do you think of him Amber?" I looked down to see Lucy walking next to me.

"Who, Trumpkin?" I asked. At Lucy's nod, I continued.

"He seems okay, but I get the feeling that this trip won't be the most pleasant."

"Why?" Edmund was now joining in on the conversation.

"Because we're going to be stuck with two people who can't stop arguing with each other about simple things and Peter's not even getting on with anyone" I replied.

"No, he's not" Lucy said sadly.

"And it's a shame, he used to be such a nice person" came Edmund's muttered response.

I couldn't help agreeing.

**Now, just to make you readers wait even more, I'm going to be on a holiday until January 16****th****, and I won't have any internet access. So while I may be able to get chapters written, I won't be posting them until then. Really sorry! Please review!**

**Fan of the Just King.**


	4. Chapter 4: Along Glasswater Creek

Author's Note: I apologise sincerely for the wait, and to make up for it, this chapter is the longest yet. Also the one I'm most proud of. Enjoy it!

To All Reviewers: Thank you so much! You are a big part in what keeps motivating me to continue this story whenever my writer's block gets the better of me! Thanks!

Disclaimer: Not mine, blah blah blah

Chapter 4 – Along Glasswater Creek:

I stared up along the riverbanks at the trees as we rowed steadily upstream.

All the while, I was thinking about what Trumpkin had said. The Telmarines had invaded Narnia? Since when?

"They're so still" Lucy's voice broke through my questioning thoughts.

I glanced up to her from where I was sitting behind Peter – who was rowing – and gazed back at the trees.

"They're trees – what'd you expect?" Trumpkin mumbled into his strawberry beard.

I sighed, my eyes slightly stinging as I looked back at the bodies of my old friends and subjects.

In my reign, once I had proved myself to be as good as the Prophesised Four, I was just as well known and loved throughout Narnia as the Pevensies had been.

"They used to dance" Lucy once again stopped my thoughts.

Trumpkin sighed softly.

"It wasn't long after you left that the Telmarines invaded. Those who survived –" my heart stopped; there had been a battle?

"- retreated to the woods. And the trees, they retreated so deeply into themselves that they haven't been heard from since" Trumpkin finished solemnly.

My heart resumed its hard beat against my chest. The poor Narnians! Made refugees in their own land, by power-hungry tyrants!

"I don't understand, how could Aslan let this happen?" Lucy, again.

"Aslan?! Thought he abandoned us when you lot did" there was a hint of accusation in Trumpkin's gruff voice.

Peter's back tensed uncomfortably against mine.

"We didn't mean to leave you know" he growled hotly.

I resisted the urge to spin around and glare at him.

Until now, he, Ed and Susan had been uncharacteristically quiet, but to say that of all things, in front of Lucy especially! I for one knew she still blamed herself for their absence from Narnia.

"Makes no difference now does it?" Trumpkin retorted.

"Well, you're leading us to Prince Caspian, and Prince Caspian should be able to take us to the Narnians and there we should be able to fight against Miraz" I spoke up; as keen as anyone else here to stop Peter and Trumpkin's bickering.

We continued our journey in silence.

The boat landed on a stony shore at a bend in the creek, and we all jumped out.

Lucy went wandering along the shore, while Trumpkin sank the anchor into the ground and Susan, Ed, Peter and I dragged the boat up onto the shore.

My thoughts drifted back to my last day in Narnia. It had been a glorious day, starting out like any other, but then Aslan came and shattered my heart;

_I awoke from my slumber and groaned as my twenty-seven year old body protested – I had expected as much from the little skirmish yesterday._

_Walking down to the Great Hall for breakfast, I was surprised to find Aslan waiting at the grand oak doors._

'_My daughter, you must come with me" I felt myself tense slightly at the tone of his voice. It was sad, yet calm at the same time._

_I followed Aslan out to the beach. We walked together along the shoreline in silence, until Aslan spoke._

"_Young one, you have looked after Narnia well these past fifteen years, for that, I am proud of you. But now, I'm afraid the time has come for you to return to the land of your birth."_

_I stopped, the words not quite processing; then it hit me, Aslan was sending me away._

_Tears pricked the back of my eyes. _

"_Why Aslan? Why are you sending me away?"_

_Aslan smiled gently._

"_Because, you need to return to your own world. Do not fear, you will return one day" His voice seemed to calm me more than anything._

_He waited patiently while I explained the situation to my friends and said a final goodbye, before I walked over to him and let him breathe on me._

_It was then that the world swirled around me, a blur of bright colours; and I felt myself changing; it hurt as I shrank, my hair grew shorter, and my royal attire disappeared, leaving in its place, a skirt, blouse, stockings and leather shoes._

_Then, Aslan himself disappeared and I found myself back in my own room at home._

"STAY AWAY FROM HER!" Susan's loud shout snapped my mind back into the present. I spun around, just in time to move out of the way as Peter and Edmund came sprinting back to the boat and grabbed their swords, before running back to Susan – who had an arrow on the string.

I followed her gaze and saw what had them so panicked – and made me panic as well.

Lucy, who had obviously gone over to a dark shape on the beach, apparently not realising it was a bear, and it had started charging towards her. She turned, and fell onto the rocky shore.

"Shoot Susan, SHOOT!" I was startled by those panicked words leaving Ed's mouth. Peter said nothing.

Lucy screamed as the giant black beast leered over her. It rose onto its hind legs, ready to bring one of its monstrous paws down on her face. But at that second, it fell dead, a green arrow sticking from its heart.

I turned around to see Trumpkin lowering his bow and glaring slightly at Susan, who still had her arrow on the string.

"Why wouldn't he stop?" Susan's quiet, quivering question hung in the silence.

"I suspect he was hungry" Trumpkin replied, not sparing another glance at her.

Edmund and Peter raced over to Lucy. I was about to follow them, when I noticed Susan standing behind me, tears in her eyes and her head bowed.

"Su, are you alright?" I asked gently.

She took a deep breath and looked up at me.

"I thought it was one of our bears, you remember, the ones that could talk. I hate killing things" she whispered tentatively.

I smiled understandingly, and walked over to the others.

Peter was standing with his arm around Lucy, who had buried her face in his brown, moth-eaten tunic.

Trumpkin was kneeling next to the bear and had just stuck his dagger into its flesh.

"Bear meat, just what we need" I said to myself. Susan heard, and nodded in agreement.

A few hours later, we were still walking near the river, when we came across some gigantic boulders about twenty metres in front of us. Before that was a quiet forest that seemed to only stretch around as far as the creek – which was still trickling along to our left – and up to the boulders.

Peter was in front, as usual, Susan and Lucy were behind him, whispering about only Aslan knows what, Trumpkin was behind them, and Edmund and I were keeping a steady pace at the rear of the procession.

I heard Susan sigh.

"We've been walking for hours; can't he just accept that we're lost?"

I smiled slightly. Edmund called out to Peter.

"You know, there's absolutely no shame in admitting you're lost Peter!"

This only made me smirk harder. I turned my grin to Edmund, who sighed, and returned it, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. They remained tired, strained and weary.

My smile slipped slightly, and I turned my own eyes to the front of the line again.

"I don't remember this way" Susan called warily, glancing worriedly around the rocks.

Peter smirked.

"That's the problem with girls, they can't carry a map in their heads" he called back.

"That's because _our_ heads actually have something in them" Lucy replied smugly.

That shut Peter up.

I continued to listen to what Susan and Lucy were saying ahead of us.

"I wish he'd just listen to the DLF in the first place" Susan spoke with more than a hint of irritation in her voice.

"DLF?" Edmund asked, quirking an eyebrow at his sisters.

Lucy smiled at Susan.

"Dear Little Friend" they replied in unison.

At some point in the trek, we had overtaken Trumpkin and we now turned back to face him, smiling.

"Oh, that's not at all, patronizing is it?" he asked mock-sourly, but there was a definite twinkle in his hazel-green eyes as he spoke.

We reached the boulders, and saw Peter standing on one of the larger rocks in the centre of a circular ring.

"I'm _not_ lost" he muttered to himself, glancing around at the rocks.

Trumpkin spoke up sarcastically.

"No, you're just going the wrong way."

Peter turned a glare on him so fierce that the rest of us fairly shrank back a little.

"You last saw Caspian in the Shuddering Woods, and the quickest way there is to cross at the River Rush" Peter's voice was deadly calm, but laced with agitation.

Trumpkin took a look at the rocks.

"But unless I'm mistaken, there's no crossing in these parts" he also spoke with a definite hint of anger and exasperation.

"Trust me Trumpkin, the land doesn't change. I know what I'm doing" Peter sighed, then turned and kept walking.

**Sorry to have to end it there guys, but I should actually be doing something else right now. I sincerely hope that the next chapter won't take nearly as long to post, seeing as my muse has so kindly returned to me. Hope you all enjoyed it and please don't hesitate to leave a review, good or bad, I don't care!**

**Fan of the Just King.**


	5. Chapter 5: Did You Really See Him?

Author's Note: *dodges random objects that are thrown *Did I say that this chapter wouldn't take as long to get out? I have got to stop making promises I probably can't keep...Well, I'm absolutely nuckered (tired out of my wits). Two chapters that were a more than a pain to write than my braces are *pouts unhappily*. Still, this is better than waiting three months to get out, no? *grins cheekily*. Hope you guys all enjoy it!

Reviewers: Thank you all so much! Reviews really keep me going!

Disclaimer: Not mine, though Amber is.

Chapter 5: Did You Really See Him?

Peter was about to be proven wrong however; we continued along the beaten track to the gorge, and our walk was abruptly halted by a steep drop down into the River Rush below.

Despite the situation, I found myself smiling.

Susan, hiding her own small smile, spoke to Peter.

"See, over time the water erodes the Earth's soil, carving deeper into the-"

"Oh shut up" Peter interrupted grumpily. My smile widened slightly and I glanced back at Edmund and Trumpkin.

"Is there a way down?" Edmund asked tiredly.

"Yeah, falling" Trumpkin replied.

My smile was almost all the way across my face when I turned back to Peter, Susan and Lucy.

"Well, we weren't lost" Peter muttered.

I saw Susan shake her head amusedly.

"There's a ford near Beruna, how would you feel about swimming?" Trumpkin asked.

"Rather that than walking" Susan muttered.

We all started walking away, but Lucy's voice stopped us right in our tracks, making us jump with startled excitement.

"Aslan? It's ASLAN! It's Him, over there!" she cried.

I spun round, my hair whipping my face as we looked back at the gorge.

My eyes narrowed in the bright light of the sun, but no matter where I looked, Aslan was nowhere to be seen, and He isn't exactly hard to miss.

My heart sank in bitter disappointment.

"Do you see Him now?" Trumpkin asked, raising a chestnut eyebrow quizzically.

Lucy turned back and faced us, fire and defiance in her ocean blue eyes. She lifted her chin and fairly nearly glared at us, her gaze softening only a little bit when she saw the surprise and disbelief on our faces.

"I'm not crazy, it was Him, and he wants us to go across the gorge, to follow Him".

Susan raised her eyebrow and glanced at Peter. Edmund shifted his gaze and rested his eyes on my own. I could clearly see the unexplained confusion, yet belief, hidden in their dark brown depths. I shrugged back at him, almost knowing that the same feelings were present in my eyes.

Despite I hadn't seen Aslan for myself, I very surely believed that Lu was right and that He really had been there. But my mouth couldn't bring itself to voice my thoughts to the others.

"Why wouldn't I have seen Him?" Peter's soft voice wobbled very slightly as he turned and faced Lucy.

Lucy sighed.

"Maybe, you just weren't looking for Him".

Though the words were soft and gentle, it was obvious that Peter had taken slight offence, why, I don't know. He glanced back at the gorge with a sad and slightly mournful sigh. With a shudder, I realised what he was going to say.

"I'm sorry Lu, but I just can't believe you" and with that, Peter, Susan and Trumpkin turned, and walked away.

Lucy, Edmund and I stayed behind. Edmund reached out and wrapped his arm comfortingly around a shaking Lucy. She looked up at him and smiled slightly, before turning and beginning to walk back with the others.

"If it helps Lu, I believe you" Edmund's voice was small, but clearly heard all the same.

Lucy turned to face him, gave him a soft smile, before turning that smile to me.

"I believe you as well Lucy" I added.

Her smile grew the slightest fraction.

"Thanks you two, but I don't think it'll change their minds" she indicated the direction in which the others had gone.

I shrugged, and walked ahead of them for the rest of our trek to the Fords of Beruna.

Oh, it wasn't the Fords of Beruna anymore.

A long, yet unfinished wooden structure stretched across the roaring waters of the Great River, trees that had been felled were being chopped right, left and centre, and Telmarines everywhere were shouting instructions, galloping around on horses or banging on the logs with heavy tools.

We all traded worried glances with each other, but as I was about to take another glance at the bridge in the waters before us, I felt a hand on my left shoulder, then a hard yank downwards which resulted in a surprised, yet muffled yelp on my part and a surprised Trumpkin as I almost landed on top of him.

Shooting him an apologetic glance, I looked at the others.

"Perhaps this wasn't the best way to come after all" Susan whispered to Peter, in an, I couldn't pick it up at first, almost "told you so" voice.

We quickly retreated; back to the gorge.

"So, where exactly do you think you saw Aslan?" Peter asked her once we stopped at the lip of the slope.

Lucy's eyes filled with sadness when Aslan still hadn't returned, therefore her voice was quite cold when she spoke to Peter.

"I wish you'd all stop trying to sound like grownups! I didn't _think_ I saw Him, I _did_ see Him!" With her head down in frustration and disappointment, she walked to a spot in the undergrowth.

"I _am_ a grownup" Trumpkin muttered.

I felt a smile creep onto my lips as I looked back at Lucy.

"It was right over-" but the rest of her sentence was drowned in her high-pitched scream as the ground below her gave way.

"LUCY!" We all screamed at the same time as we raced to where she'd fallen.

Relief washed over me so fast that my knees nearly buckled when we saw that Lucy – unharmed – hadn't even fallen very far, but onto a winding, narrow path below.

"-Here" she looked up at us, smiling slightly, before shooting Peter a smug look and looking back down the gorge.

One at a time, we all slid through the hole and followed Lucy along the meandering trail until we had crossed the river, and were climbing up the other side. By this point, Peter had taken the lead with Lucy, the rest of us just straggled along behind them in no particular order.

We reached a well sheltered area about two hundred metres away from the gorge-side, Trumpkin, Edmund and Peter headed towards the trees that surrounded us to search for kindling. Susan was off hunting for berries and herbs growing in the underbrush, so Lucy and I walked towards one of the small streams close by to fish.

Now, I myself was never brilliant at fishing, certainly not with a fishing rod – or even with one – but I was told by Susan that Lucy was fabulous at it. Indeed, I stood and marvelled at her apparent ease with which she thrust part of the sharp, pointed stick we were using as a spear into the water and drew it back out with a large trout on the point. She blushed and smiled sheepishly as I applauded her quietly – I don't think I could do that!

After successfully catching about three more decent sized fish, we returned to camp. Peter was stoking the fire, Susan was sorting through her assortment of berries, Trumpkin was skinning the remaining bear meat (I saw Lucy repress a shudder), and Edmund was standing off to the side, finding more rocks and kindling for the fire. There was already a small pile near his feet that was constantly being added to. I found myself smiling slightly.

After a hearty meal of the fish, bear meat and some berries – the names of which Susan kept secret, each of us steadily retired to our spot for the night.

Trumpkin had claimed his spot to the right of the fire (if you were looking down on it), Peter at the far end, Susan, Lucy and I settled down at the bottom, and Edmund took the remaining space off to the left hand side. Most of us were asleep within seconds.

Unfortunately for me, the slumber didn't last long. I was startled awake by Susan's scream.

I shot upright, my messy auburn hair almost whacking a surprised Trumpkin in the face as I whipped my head around to see Susan next to me, looking very white and panicked.

"Su? What on earth is going on?" Edmund's sleep clogged, annoyed voice spoke up from behind me.

I felt myself smiling again.

It disappeared quickly, however, when Susan swallowed, and looked up at us with frightened eyes.

"Lucy and Peter; they're gone."

_To Be Continued_

***Rubs eyes tiredly* Even though (right now) it's only 11:00am, but I am more tired than before. Ah well, at least it's done now. Chapter 6 should be up soon, as I am on my mid-year winter break and have nothing else to do.**

**Whether you liked it or not, please don't hesitate to review!**

**Fan of the Just King**


	6. Chapter 6: Another New Acquaintance

Author's Note: Um, to those who hadn't forgotten me, hello again! I do apologise for the wait; and I present my usual reason: school. But, I am now on my spring break, therefore, should find more time to write.

Disclaimer: None of the following is mine, all except Amber, Kyisha and Kyra.

Reviewers: To all of you, I sincerely thank you for your encouragement and feedback!

Chapter 6: Another New Acquaintance

My heart leapt into my throat.

"Gone?" Trumpkin asked dumbly.

Susan wordlessly motioned to the empty space next to her where Lucy had been sleeping, and the equally empty space where Peter had been.

A yell and a clang of steel reached the silent clearing. Jumping, I almost fell over, and, somewhere in my foggy mind, I recognised another cry, belonging to Lucy.

Standing, we all sprinted towards the small rise nearby, and almost ran into a panting Lucy.

She was standing near Peter, who was staring at a tall, tanned and black haired boy, who was surrounded by Narnians.

I smiled. We'd found the Old Narnians at last. I could only assume this boy was Caspian.

He stared at Peter, at Lucy, then at us, then at the sword he held in his hands.

Realisation dawned on the boy's face.

"High King Peter?" his voice was thickly accented with Telmarine.

_Yep, it's Caspian_, I thought to myself.

Peter drew himself up to his full height.

"I believe you called, Prince" his voice was all arrogant authority. I sighed in exasperation, earning a twin sigh from Susan behind me.

Caspian looked taken aback, I couldn't blame him.

"Well, yes, but, well I thought you'd be older" he almost whispered.

I couldn't help but smirk. Turning my head away so no one was offended, I glanced at the assembled Narnians. As I had expected, there was no one I knew; we really had been gone for an awfully long time.

Peter, not at all amused by the Prince's remark, scoffed.

"Well, if you like, we could return in a couple of years" he turned to walk away.

"No. It's alright. You're just, not exactly what I expected" Caspian's voice dwindled to a whisper, as he cast his gaze around at all of us, resting the longest on Susan, who blushed and looked at the ground.

"Well, neither are you" Edmund pointed out, glancing at one of the minatours.

I simply shook my head, honestly, he shouldn't have been that surprised. Though, I suppose, being absent from here for as long as we have, you couldn't help but be surprised.

I jumped as I felt something brush by my leg, purring. I glanced down to see a dark tiger rubbing herself against me. Dark, rich red that was all too familiar...

"Kyisha?" I whispered in shock.

The tiger turned her head to face me. Her eyes were a darkened black that quite literately glistened in the faint sunlight. My heart sank.

"Your Majesty?" the tiger's voice was soft and kind, as she sat on her hind legs and regarded me with a quizzical stare.

I shook my head, tears of disappointment and grief in my eyes. I could hear the others going on about getting swords from somewhere and they started walking away.

I started to follow them, but the tiger was soon next to me again.

"Your Majesty?" she asked again.

"I'm sorry, but I thought you were someone I knew" I replied, perhaps a little shortly.

"But, your Majesty, I am a descendant of Kyisha. My name is Kyra" she smiled a tiger's smile, and I felt much better.

Kyisha had been one of my closest friends and a fierce protector of me. She had treated me like her own cub and we had often saved each other's lives.

Of course I was sad she was gone, but she had a twin almost standing next to me, and that was almost as good.

We started to follow the others on our trek to Aslan's How, talking merrily.

When we arrived, a band of centaurs lined up on each side of the entrance, their swords drawn, and making an archway of honour for us to walk down. Peter smiled smugly.

I rolled my eyes.

The Pevensies started walking down the aisle to the entrance, Caspian and I following, with the other Narnians behind us. Not meaning to brag, but I had expected Caspian to insist that I went before him. Perhaps he just didn't know who I was.

The dark hole swallowed us up, and we found ourselves standing in a working armoury. Susan, Lucy and I continued walking towards one of the passages. We gasped when we saw what was on the walls.

Ancient carvings and paintings, like those of prehistoric style you see in the history textbooks, lined the sturdy walls. I heard Lucy stifle a sniffle when her gaze fell on a carving of the dear Mr Tumnus.

Turning my line of sight away, I went back to the armoury.

"Peter, Edmund, you may want to look at this" I called out to the boys.

They followed, and gaped silently when I shone the torch over the carvings.

"It's us" Susan's thick, choked voice whispered.

"What _is _this place?" asked Lucy.

"You don't know?" Caspian replied, clearly surprised.

"Well, we probably know, but it's been so long since we've been here, I reckon the land may have changed just a bit" I joked, raising the banter from when we were crossing the gorge.

It brought a small smile to Lucy and Susan's faces, a smirk to Edmund's, even a slight turn up of the lips from Peter, and simply a raised eyebrow from Caspian. I grinned.

Nonetheless, Caspian took a flaming torch and led us down a long, spiralling passageway, and into a wide, seemingly empty place, and lit the circle of fire.

And then all of us were staring with open mouths and wide eyes.

Crumbling slightly, and cracked spectacularly down the centre, with dust and traces of earth lying undisturbed on the surface, the Stone Table seemed to gleam in the torchlight. A stone-framed relief of Aslan was carved into the rock directly in front of us. We were all silent.

Lucy slowly walked to the table, Susan right behind her. Both girls had tears in their eyes. Lucy turned back to Susan.

"He must know what He's doing" she whispered, as if quoting words said long ago.

Susan smiled tearfully.

"I think it's up to us now" Peter's voice cut through the gentle silence like a knife cutting into a piece of bone.

I sighed, and walked away.

**TBC...**


	7. Chapter 7: Battle Plans

Reviewers: Thanks a million to all the reviewers! I really appreciate them and they are really the best thing since sliced bread to me!

Disclaimer: Nothing below is mine, except Amber and Kyra.

Chapter 7 – Battle Plans

Strolling unseen through the passageways of the How, my mind continued to return to the old days.

I thought myself fortunate that I was at least able to say goodbye to my friends and explain to them what was happening, and I felt sorry for the Pevensies, who hadn't had that choice.

Shaking my head, I found myself standing on one of the higher ledges looking out over the vast expanse before me.

I'd always wondered what had happened to Narnia after I had left it behind. I'd always imagined that when I returned, all my old friends would be there waiting. Instead, the only thing left that hinted at my regal past was what lay hidden in the ancient ruins on the shores of the Eastern Ocean.

My eyes stung with tears as I once again thought of Kyisha. Her kind, gentle, yet proud face with her golden eyes that shone with mischief and laughter, her sleek deep red coat emboldened with the black stripes coating her body.

Oh how my absence must have killed her!

She'd lost her youngest cub a few months earlier, and she'd never quite gotten over it. I can still remember the shocked and saddened look on her face when I had told her I was leaving for England.

And then to come back only to find she was dead.

A single tear slid down my cheek as the late evening breeze ruffled my hair gently.

"Amber?"

Startled, I turned around with a small yelp of surprise, to find Lucy standing behind me, a tiny smile curving her lips.

"Yes Lucy?" I answered, my pounding heart now resuming its normal rhythmic thud against my ribs.

She said nothing; she only walked over and sat down next to me, gazing out to the general east. I couldn't help but smile, for I knew she looked towards Aslan.

"I do miss it sometimes" Lucy finally whispered, her voice somewhat choked.

I tilted my head, not quite understanding.

"What do you miss, Lu?" I asked, probably sounding stupid to her, as the answer I got was quite obvious.

"I miss how it all used to be. I miss being able to dance with the dryads, swim with the naiads and the River God, I miss going to faun dances at the Dancing Lawn. I miss _my_ Narnia" she glanced up at me, tears forming in her light green eyes.

I stayed silent, knowing I missed my Narnia too. Why did it all have to change? How could Aslan let it all change?

Hey, who was I to question the will of Aslan. If He'd wanted his land to change, then maybe it would have to change. I could've hit myself.

"Our Narnia was different Lucy; yours was and so was mine. We can't change what happened in the past, no one can, not even Aslan, especially since it's been thirteen hundred years. We can, however, learn from our mistakes and apply them to the future. Nothing happens against Aslan's plan; we need to trust in Him more than ever now."

As far as impromptu speeches of comfort and reassurance go, I thought that mine was quite good.

What startled me most however was Lucy suddenly bursting out into fits of laughter.

"What's so funny? What did I say?" I queried, puzzled and slightly taken aback.

Lucy simply laughed harder.

I waited in silence as she calmed down, and she looked back at me with gleaming eyes.

"You said nothing, yet you said everything" she answered mysteriously, her eyes still shining with mischief.

I stared back at her blankly. Since when did Lucy start talking in riddles?

"You've been spending too much time around Edmund, you have" she giggled.

Staring back at her, my eyes widened in shock and heat began to creep up into my cheeks, as she leapt up and skipped out of sight.

She returned a few moments later, all traces of happiness gone from her countenance.

"Amber, Peter wants us all in the Stone Table room, he says he's got some news for us."

Lucy sprinted off before I had the chance to ask any more questions. Standing, I brushed the leaves and dirt off my skirt, and tore after her.

_Oh this can't be good._

_(Stone Table Room, a bit later)_

We all stood, assembled around the Stone Table.

I leaned against a column on the far side of the Table. Susan and Caspian stood next to Trufflehunter the Badger and Glenstorm the Centaur. Lucy sat on the Stone Table, almost glaring at her oldest brother, who stood in front of her, addressing the assembled army. Reepicheep and Pattertwig stood on the small shelf near the column where Edmund was sitting, looking half asleep and very bored.

"An attempt to take Miraz's castle is our best option at the moment. He, his army and their war machines are on their way, which leaves his castle quite unprotected" Peter's voice was all authority and selfish pride and carried all around the chamber.

I almost wanted to hit him. Although he was making a good point, we didn't know for sure that Miraz and his men had even left their castle at Beaversdam yet, which would put us in rather a bad position for a fight. I didn't say this though, for I didn't want to start any fights.

Fortunately, I didn't have to worry.

"But we have the advantage here. We do not know where my uncle and his men are. For all we know, they could still be at their castle, leaving us very vulnerable if we did attack it" Caspian spoke up, almost using my exact words.

"If we dig in, we could probably hold them off indefinitely" now Susan's voice broke the silence.

Peter shot a strong glare at his sister, looking very unconvinced.

I sighed.

"I, for one, feel safer _underground_."

"There's nothing we can use against him, your Majesty."

"We are much better off staying here."

The different, doubtful voices resonated around the chamber, echoing and rebounding off the walls.

"Well, we could collect nuts" Pattertwig twittered enthusiastically from his position.

Everyone looked over at him with raised eyebrows.

"Yes, and then throw them at the Telmarines" Reepicheep continued, a small smile on his face.

For a moment, I thought that he was serious about the idea, then his smile dropped, and he stared at Pattertwig, who had shrunk down in slight humiliation.

"Shut up" Reepicheep commanded, with narrowed eyes.

I had to smile at the two.

"This is our only chance, now, Glenstorm, if I get your troupes in, could you handle the guards?" Peter's voice returned to the conversation, and all traces of anything funny evaporated.

Glenstorm glanced at Caspian, who nodded slightly, looking like he wasn't happy, but he didn't have any other choice but to go along with the plan.

"Or die trying, my liege" he replied, nodding solemnly at Peter.

Silence.

"That's what I'm worried about" Lucy's quiet voice whispered from her perch on the Stone Table.

Peter turned and faced her, confusion lining every feature on his face.

"You're all acting like there's only two options; dying here, or dying there" Lucy continued, a small fire being ignited in her eyes.

"I'm not sure you've really been listening Lu."

Uh oh, Peter was getting agitated, never a good sign these days.

I never could have expected Lucy to say what she did next.

"No, _you're_ not listening. Or have you forgotten who _really_ defeated the White Witch, Peter?" The fire in Lucy's eyes was stronger, and it pulled Peter up short.

Everyone sat in silence. No one moved, no one made a sound.

Peter's glare was so fierce, even from where I stood, I felt myself wanting to dissolve into the column behind me.

"I think we've waited for Aslan long enough. Caspian, Edmund, come with me, we need to start planning."

And with that, Peter stormed off, followed closely by a slightly terrified Caspian, and an exasperated Edmund.

Susan and Lucy came over to me. Poor Lucy looked absolutely distraught.

"You'd better go too Amber, just tell Peter that neither of us are fighting" Susan whispered to me, her arm around a shaking Lucy.

I nodded and headed off in the direction of the others.

_(Planning room, a few minutes later)_

"No, Peter, Susan won't want to fight, and you know Lucy will never go along with a plan she believes Aslan hasn't approved of."

I sighed, slightly in relief. Seems that Edmund had just done my job for me, meaning I just had to make sure that nobody bit each other's heads off.

They all glanced up as I entered the room, no one was smiling, and I felt my own drop.

"I don't see why you're here, we're almost done" Peter said curtly.

I straightened and looked him in the eye, anger burning up in my stomach.

"Maybe I'm here to make sure that Susan and Lucy are not involved, and to make sure that this plan really is going to work" I answered, just as curtly, with the underlying anger getting stronger.

Peter opened his mouth to retort, but one fierce glance from Edmund was enough to make him back down almost completely.

"Very well" he sighed.

I walked over to the table where the plan was set out.

"The plan is that we fly at night. A griffin will fly up to one of the watch towers with Edmund, who will signal for the rest of us to fly in and into the Tutor's rooms. After we have rescued him, Caspian and Trumpkin will go and open the gate, Edmund will signal the rest of the troupes, and I will open the portcullis and wait for the rest of the soldiers to come through."

I was quiet all through this, going over the pros and cons of the plan in my head. It could work, I guess, but it would require absolute precision and near perfect execution, or it would be a disaster.

When I voiced this, the small smile on Peter's face vanished, replaced by a look of prideful absolution.

"It _will_ work."

I simply nodded.

"Well, we should get ready, if we're leaving tonight."

I turned to go after I had said this, but felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Whoa, hang on a second here. Who said anything about you coming?"

I turned and saw Edmund staring at me, eyebrows raised and dark eyes brimming with concern.

"Ed, I'm not a sibling, or a subject of yours, and it's not up to you what I decide to do when it comes to battle" I inwardly winced at how cold my voice was.

He sighed and held my eyes with an imploring stare.

"I know that, but I am also your best friend, and I don't want to see you get hurt" he whispered softly.

I felt heat creeping up into my cheeks and I looked away until I felt that it had subsided, before glancing back at Edmund.

"I'll be careful. I promise" My own voice was very soft, and trembled ever so slightly.

He nodded, still looking slightly unconvinced, but he knew that I could take care of myself.

"Alright, but we'll find another griffin, and you can come with me, deal?"

He was smiling, and I felt the heat return to my cheeks.

"Deal" I whispered.

**TBC...**


End file.
